PhD Studentship: How Sights Become Signals for Learning

Overview

This PhD project at the University of Exeter, hosted in Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, asks how the brain learns that a sight predicts something important. The research will uncover the neural circuits that turn visual information into dopamine signals, which teach the brain about motivation, action and decision-making.

The student will use in vivo electrophysiology, fibre photometry, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, targeted optogenetic stimulation, behavioural tasks and computational modelling to record, control and predict learning in real time. The project tackles a fundamental neuroscience question and gives advanced training in technologies relevant to Parkinson's disease and psychiatric disorders.

What you get

The project is one of up to 18 MRC-funded studentships offered through the GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme, with a start date of October 2027. The studentships last four years. Funding covers UK tuition fees and a doctoral stipend matching the UK Research Council national minimum, which is 21,805 pounds per year for 2026/27 and is updated annually. Up to 5,000 pounds per year is also available for research training and support costs.

Who can apply

The studentships are open to UK and international students. This project competes for a place with projects across the whole MRC GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Award, in which 18 studentships are available across the partnership.

Key dates

The closing date is 21 October 2026, and the studentship begins in October 2027.